Faces in the Sky: The 138th Hunger Games- SYOT OPEN
by BaconLogic
Summary: 137 Hunger Games have come and gone. 3,151 tributes have been murdered in the Arena. The time has come for the 138th Hunger Games. By the end, 23 more children will become mere faces in the sky.
1. Chapter 1

**This is going to be an SYOT. I'm pretty nervous about posting this, because it's my first story. Criticism is appreciated.**

**The tribute form is right here, and it'll be uploaded to my profile soon. Also, I would appreciate it if you sent in at least one escort or mentor. Just write their name, what they look like, obviously their gender and district, personality, and, in the mentors' cases, which Games they won. And lastly, I will NOT accept characters in reviews. You MUST P.M. me your tribute.**

**So, without further ado, I give you the tribute form.**

Name:

Age:

District:

Gender:

Bloodbath(Are they meant to die in the Bloodbath):

Hair(Include thickness):

Eyes(Shape, too):

Skin color:

Height and Weight:

Reaping Outfit:

Were they reaped or did they volunteer:

Reaction to being reaped or why they volunteered:

Personality(More than just a few sentences):

Backstory:

Family(Please be detailed on every family member):

Friends and Enemies(Once again, detailed)(Enemies optional):

Who visited at the goodbyes:

What was the family's reaction at the goodbyes:

What was the tribute's reaction at the goodbyes:

Token:

Parade outfit(I will choose my favorite for each district, it may not be yours):

Would they be in an alliance:

If so, with who:

Who they ask or be asked for alliance:

Romance:

What do they think of the Games and the Capitol:

Specialized weapons(two maximum, three for career):

What do they do in the training sessions(show off, pretend to be weak, really be weak, etc.):

Training score:

Strengths:

Weaknesses(DO NOT PUT NONE):

Interview outfit:

Interview angle:

Memorable quote(Optional):

Other:

**So there it is. Just a quick note, I am using a bit of language, not like the f-word, though. I'm not making this the bloodiest thing ever, either. If someone's stomach gets cut or anything with a sword, I'm not going to include their pancreas and kidneys falling out or anything major like that.**

**I hope to start the story soon, so fill up that tribute form and send them to me.**


	2. District 10 Reapings

**Here's the first Reaping! It's the first Reaping I've ever written, so please tell me if it's good or not, and be honest.**

**Levi Everrett, D10 Female's POV**

**Age: 17**

I open my eyes, and the sunlight streams through my bedroom window and temporarily blinds me. When my eyes adjust, I stand up and stretch. I glance in the mirror. My reddish-brownish hair is a mess, tangled, dirty, and sticking up in some parts of my head. I grab a brown hairbrush and hastily brush my hair. When it's a bit nicer-looking, I walk downstairs. My twelve-year-old brother, Adriann, is eating a bowl of cereal unhappily.

"What's wrong, Adriann?" I ask. He's probably just thinking of Aby.

Three years ago, our older sister, Abigail, was Reaped. She was killed on the first day by the Careers. I quit school after that and worked. I had to force Adriann to continue school. My parents wouldn't let Adriann and I out of their sight for months. Over time, Adriann and I became very close.

His reply was something almost worse than the memory.

"Today's Reaping day," he says. "It's my first one. I'll be chosen, I know it!" His voice started to get louder.

"Adriann, Adriann, calm down," I say, grabbing his arm so he didn't fling a spoonful of cereal. "You won't be Reaped. You're twelve; your name's only in there once."

Adriann takes a while to finally calm down, and then I send him to his room to get dressed for the Reaping. I quickly eat a piece of bread for breakfast.

My parents walk through the front door. They look like they had gone shopping. Mom says that she had gotten Adrian a new suit for his first Reaping, but Dad doesn't say what is in his bag and just says a quick 'Good morning' and walks upstairs.

I enter my room and search my closet for a suitable Reaping outfit. I finally decide on an ashy-colored shirt-dress. I put on a gold fabric belt and a sweater the color of sea foam. I hurry to work to get a little while in before the Reaping. Most people wouldn't have time to, but I always get up early to work. I have almost forty five minutes before I have to head to the center of the district for the Reaping.

"Morning, Levi," says my friend, Pike. He's 19, so he's out of the Reaping. Pike is engaged to my other friend, Justyce. They're going to get married in a little less than seven months. I'm still friends with Justyce, but we're not as close because I work overtime, so I don't see her often.

"Morning," I say.

"Getting a little work done before the Reaping?"

"Yeah."

Pike must have noticed my slightly nervous expression because he patted my arm. "You won't be Reaped. You have nothing to worry about."

I looked away and muttered, "Tesserae."

"How many times is your name in there?"

I mumble an answer.

"What?" Pike asks.

"Fifty four."

Pike's jaw drops. "What?!"

"My family's starving at home, what was I supposed to do?" I ask. "We haven't been able to buy food for a few weeks. Then, my parents have the _brilliant_ idea to go out and buy my brother suits for his Reaping and dozens of other things they won't even tell me about!"

"Relax, Levi," Pike says. "There are probably hundreds of other girls who took the tesserae even more then you did."

"I doubt that. Their parents don't buy useless suits and things for themselves instead of things that matter, like food!"

"Calm down. You'll be fine."

"I hope you're right."

I walk away from Pike and begin working.

**Talon Keller, D10 Male's POV**

**Age: 17**

I wake up and want to just fall back asleep. Today's the day. The chances of me getting Reaped are pretty slim because I don't take the tesserae, but anything's possible. I roll out of bed and fall face-first onto the floor. I groan and slowly stand up. I throw my blanket back onto my bed and trudge downstairs. My dad is sitting at the table. He doesn't even look up when I come downstairs. Huh. He thinks I don't know he hates me. I've read his face. His expression. I know when he's happy. I know when he's angry. I know when he hates me, which is all the time.

I grab a banana and eat it. I look outside. The sun is shining warmly on District 10. There isn't a cloud in the sky. But it's such a sad day. A sad, sad, day. If I could read today's expression, it would be crying and screaming.

I throw out the banana peel and go back up to my room. I look at the clock. 8:09. Fifty-one minutes to get ready for the Reaping and get to the center of District 10. Being the mayor's son, my house is very close to the center.

I go outside for a little bit. One or two people are walking around. Two little kids, maybe seven or eight, are playing tag. Both of their faces give me the same result- they're trying to get their minds off the Reaping. They probably just learned what the Games are and have an older sibling in the Reaping.

"Hey, Talon!" a familiar voice calls. I turn around and see my best friend, Chase, running up to me.

"Hi, Chase," I say. Chase is trying to look care free, as usual. But, also as usual, I see past his disguise. Deep down, he's feeling pain. I don't know why. I nearly always see pain behind his happy eyes.

My other best friend, Cassie, comes up to us. She dated Chase for a little while, but they both agreed that it wouldn't work out, so they broke up. They're both a little awkward around each other, but we're slowly going back to our old circle of friends.

I walk around District 10 with Chase and Cassie. We're talking about multiple things; the Reaping, things going on with our families, work in the fields, and things like that.

"It's eight thirty," says Cassie after a little while. "I've got to get ready."

"Me, too," I say. "See you guys later."

"Bye," Chase says.

"See you," says Cassie.

I walk back to my house. I pass the little kids from earlier. This time, they're just sitting in front of their house, talking.

"Hi, Dad," I say. Dad looks up from the newspaper, says a muffled, "Hello", and then goes back to the paper. I roll my eyes. He's so oblivious. He thinks that I think he actually loves me. He hates me. His body just radiates hate, even more since my mom died. She was murdered. I wasn't really affected. She didn't hate me like Dad, but she just didn't care about me.

I go to my room and look through my clothes. I don't care what I wear. If I get Reaped, and everybody in Panem sees me in my pajamas, I wouldn't care. I throw a pair of black jeans onto my bed and a black t-shirt on top of it. I put on the jeans and the shirt and then headed to the center. I don't care if I'm twenty minutes early or not. I lean against a wall in the center of District 10 and wait.

After ten minutes, people start to arrive. The first ones other than me are a family of two twelve year old girls and one fourteen year old boy. Soon, Chase and Cassie get here. Chase goes off to the Family section, while Cassie goes to the eighteen-year-old section. I join the seventeen-year-old section. Soon, our new escort introduces herself.

"Hellooooooooooooooo District Ten!" she squeals excitedly into the microphone. I cover my ears and see countless other kids do the same. "My name is Butterscone Twinkle, and I'm your nnnnnew eeeeeeeeeescort!"

_Just shut up!_ I think to myself.

"It's my faaaaaaaaaaavorite time of the year now!" Butterscone Twinkle shrieks. "The Hunger Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaames!"

She plays the video that I've memorized. I study her face. She's watching the video and listening to the speech. She has a foolish grin on her face and she's happy.

"I loooooooooove that speech so much, don't you?" screeches the abomination on stage. Nobody answers. "And now to choooooooose our lovely young lady to represent District Ten!"

**Levi Everrett, District 10's POV**

I hold my breath as Butterscone reaches into the girl's bowl. She fishes around for a minute before pulling out a name.

"Ooooooh, what a pretty name!" she screams into the microphone. "Levi Everrett!"

My breath catches in my throat and I let out something in between a gasp and a gargle. I stand there, dumbfounded. I'm completely shocked. After a minute or two of impatient "Leeeeevi Eeeeeeeverettttt, please come up, dear!", I'm terrified and let out a whimper. I feel a sharp push in my back and I stumble forwards. I turn and expect to see a Peacekeeper, but instead, my worst enemy, Eden, is standing there, a malicious smile on her face. I take a deep breath and walk up to the stage.

"I love your name!" Butterscone screams into my face. I resist the urge to wipe the spit on my face off in front of everybody.

"Uh, ah..." I stand there, terrified. I can't speak. I can't move. Every eye is trained on me. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. When it's clear that I won't say anything, Butterscone moves over to the boy's bowl to pick who's going to die with me.

**Talon Keller, D10's POV**

I feel bad for the girl on the stage. She stands, eyes closed, in front of everybody. I can almost hear her wishing this was a dream. I read her face, trying to see if she's faking and is really like a Career tribute. She isn't. Her tears and her sadness are real. She's terrified.

"Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd now for the young man!" Butterscone hollers. "Let's see here... hmm..."

She digs around in the bowl and then pulls out a slip of paper and unfolds it. "This year's male tribute for District 10 is... Talon Kelleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!"

I'm shocked. I really did not see that one coming. My name's only in there six times! How can it be me? I'm scared. I don't want to die. I take a few shaky steps towards the stage.

Calm down, Talon. You can do this. You'll be fine. You'll come back a Victor. But then, poor Levi would die...

_No. Don't think about death._ A voice inside my head commands. I gain sudden confidence and stride up to the stage, making myself look proud to represent District 10.

"Hellooooooooooo, young man!" yells Butterscone.

"Hello," I say, trying to act happy. It must be working, because Butterscone absolutely beams at me. Seeing her up close, I see how ugly she is. Her face is drowned with pink and violet makeup, and she wears a big, violet wig, but that was easy to see even off stage.

"Shake hands," commands Butterscone. I hold out my hand to Levi and give her a sympathetic smile. She grabs my hand and shakes it. Her hand is pale and looks almost drained of blood. We enter the Justice Building.

Someone runs in, and I really don't want to see him. Jason. He's my archenemy. He looks strong and intimidating, but I know what he's really like. He's sad. He feels unwanted.

"Hahahaha," he laughs, pointing at me. "You're going to the Arena. Hahahaha. You'll die on the first day, I know it."

"You know, Jason," I say. "I feel sorry for you."

Jason stops laughing and raises an eyebrow. "Why? Because I get to stay back in District 10 and watch you die? Hahaha!" He's laughing again.

"No. Because I know what you feel like. Unwanted. Sad."

"What are you talking about?" Jason's face is slowly getting paler.

"You know what I mean."

Jason's dragged out by Peacekeepers, and Chase and Cassie run in.

"You've got to win," Chase says.

"Don't die," says Cassie. "Dear God, Talon, don't die."

"I'll be fine, guys," I say. I don't want them to worry for me. "I'll be fine."

"Here," Chase says. He hands out a piece of paper. "Take it as a token."

I look at the paper. It's a picture of me, Chase, and Cassie running around in the fields. Chase is playfully threatening Cassie with a bucket of icy water, while I'm sneaking up on him with a bucket of my own. I remember that day. It was last year. We were on a twenty-minute break from working in the fields, and we got a little carried away. By the end of the break, all three of us were soaked and shivering to the bone, but laughing anyway.

Cassie hugs me tightly. I can barely breathe, but that's OK. This will probably be the last time I'll ever see her again, except in the picture. I hug Cassie back and then Chase and I share a short, awkward hug.

"You need to win this," Cassie says. Then, the Peacekeepers drag her and Chase out and I leave for the train.

**Levi Everrett, D10 Female's POV**

I sit in the Justice Building. Mom, Dad, and Adriann run in as soon as I sit down.

"Levi!" Mom cries. Tears flow down her face freely. She hugs me tightly. I hug her. She finally releases me, and Dad steps forward.

"You can do this, Levi," he says. He hugs me and then hands me something.

"Oh, my God," I whisper. The aqua-blue beads that Dad put in my hand used to be Aby's prized possession. She found them and then made them into a bracelet. "Oh, my God, thank you, Dad."

Adriann hugs me almost tighter than Mom did. Tears splashed on my sweater, but they weren't mine.

"Please, don't go," he whispers. It seems like he'll never let go until Peacekeepers force him away.

The last person to come in is River, one of my co-workers. We both have an interest in each other, but he's 20 and out of the Reaping, so we agreed that we wouldn't date in case I was Reaped.

Without a word, he hugs me. I hug him back. This is what I had been looking forward to after my last Reaping, but it came early, and in this situation, that's a bad thing.

River kisses my cheek and whispers three words to me. "I love you."

"I love you too."

**And that ends the District 10 Reapings! Tell me what you think. Special thanks go out to Kem'Ajiana for submitting Levi, grimbutnotalways for submitting Talon, and VanessaAndEllieTheVamps for Butterscone Twinkle.**

**-BaconLogic**


	3. District 1 Reapings

**Hello, people! Sorry for the late update. There are three important things that I want to cover before I start the Reaping. The first one is the order of the Reapings. Some of you have been asking me to write them in order, but others have been requesting that I do them in different order, so tell me what you think. The second is a poll I put on my profile. You, as readers, can help me decide what the Arena's twist will be, if there is one at all. The Arena that has the most votes after I post the last Reaping will be the official Arena. Thanks to the few who have already voted, and remember, you can vote for up to two. The final thing is that THERE ARE STILL OPEN CHARACTER SPOTS. Please fill up the spots quickly!  
**

**Now that that's all over, let's start the District 1 Reaping.**

** Katherine Lynn "Mal" Mallory, D1 Female's POV  
**

**Age: 18**

When I wake up, it's a little later than I had anticipated it would be. The clock in my room said it was eight twenty nine, thirty one minutes until the Reaping began.

The thought sinks in. Today's the Reaping. I know that my chances of being picked are fairly slim, and even if I am Reaped, someone from the Training Academy will volunteer, as usual. Despite this, I still get the familiar feeling of butterflies in my stomach that comes around at the Reaping time as I rise out of my bed and stretch.

"Morning, Sleepyhead," says my best friend and girlfriend, Michaela Connor, says from the doorway playfully. I nicknamed her Cale. She lives with me and my three young siblings and helps me take care of them. The oldest of my siblings is Layla. She has light red hair and is only eight years old, ten years younger than me. The other two are nine-month-old twins, Rose and Gabriel. Rose, like Layla and I, has hair a little more than strawberry blonde. She was born deaf and, if you upset her, she will wail and cry and run away. Gabriel has long auburn hair. He's a cute little rebel. His first sentence, if you could call it that, was "Hunger Games bad." Every day, he reminds us that, when he grows up, he'll stop the Capitol and put an end to the Hunger Games. Oh, what a time that would be.

"Good morning, Cale," I say. I give her a light kiss on the cheek. "I've got to get ready for the Reaping."

"Yeah, you shouldn't be late. And remember, I'll still keep my promise." She's talking about a promise she made a few days ago to buy me a box of the best chocolates in the district after the Reaping. Me, the chocoholic, thought of that as pure heaven.

Cale walks downstairs, and I pull out my hairbrush. It's almost broken multiple times because of the thickness of my hair and all of the tangles and knots it gets so easily. I rake it through my strawberry blonde hair until it's as straight as I can possibly make it without being late for the Reaping. I look through my wardrobe until I find a suitable outfit. I put on a flared, black lace dress with violet liner. I put on fish net stockings and tall, knee-high brown boots.

"You look nice," comments Cale as I hurry into the kitchen.

"Your hair is very pretty," Layla says. Truthfully, her hair is like mine but just shorter, but she always insists that my hair is flawless and that it reminds her of a beautiful sunrise.

"So is yours," I say as I plop down next to her. I wolf down a piece of buttered toast and I begin the journey to the center of the district with Cale, Layla, Gabriel, and Rose.

.

**Bangle Silverstone, D1 Male's POV**

**Age: 18  
**

I was chosen by the Training Academy to volunteer this year. I guess that's not much of a surprise. I think about what could happen in the Games. I wonder who I'd kill first. I'd pick on the small, weak tributes first. Maybe a small kid from one of the outer districts. I launch a spear into the air, and it pierces a dummy's stomach.

"Nice throw, kid," says a voice behind me. My mom's brother, Uncle Diamond, was standing at the doorway to the Training Academy. He was the victor of the 104th Hunger Games. I've always looked up to him, even when I didn't even know what the Games were.

"Thanks," I say.

"You going to keep training until the Reaping?"

"Nah, I'll go back to the house around eight forty five. I'm just getting some last minute training in."

"OK then."

He left.

I jerk the spear out of the dummy and set it down on the rack. Now, I select two shiny steel axes. I'm decent with throwing spears, so now I'll practice throwing axes.

_Thwak!_ The axe slams into the chest of a dummy. The other axe hits a dummy in the abdomen. I smirk in satisfaction as I rip the axe out of the dummies. A trainer walks inside.

"Up early, Silverstone?" he asks. Clyde trains advanced Careers, and so, naturally, I'm one of his students.

"Well, when you're volunteering, you'd probably get some training down early, too."

"Want to practice against me?"

"Sure. Weapon?"

"I'll probably use a sword for this one."

"I'll take a spear."

Clyde lunges at me with his thin blade, but I dodge and stab at him with my spear. He blocks and strikes downwards. I block and hit him in the arm with the shaft of my spear, causing him to drop his sword. I hold my spear over him as if I'm about to strike.

"I'd say I won," I grin triumphantly. Clyde smiles back at me.

"In your dreams, Silverstone."

He kicks my shin and picks up his sword. I curse, but shake off the throbbing pain. Clyde can really kick. I snatch up the spear that I had dropped and barely had time to block a strong strike. For minutes Clyde and I stabbed, jabbed, ducked, and blocked. Eventually, Clyde managed to disarm me and held his sword next to my throat. He smiled.

"Nice try, Silverstone. Next time, remember that I've been training for twenty years."

"Yeah, yeah." I return the spear to its rack and wipe some sweat off of my face.

"Get back to your house, kid," Clyde says, taking a swig of water from a green bottle. "It's eight forty."

"Already?"

"Yes. And, unless you want to get beaten up by Peacekeepers, go to your house now."

I snort. "I'm not scared of Peacekeepers."

"Your uncle would be disappointed if you were killed in the Bloodbath because of broken bones from being beaten by Peacekeepers and even more disappointed if you didn't volunteer because of your wounds."

I roll my eyes and leave. "I'd never chicken out."

I leave the Training Academy. The district's finally starting to wake up. A few girls are gossiping outside of a house, while a gang of little kids are throwing a ball against a wall. A grown man looks like he's going to work. A girl with strawberry blonde hair with a younger girl with the same hair walks by with a friend and two toddlers.

When I get to my house, I push open the door. My dad greets me and I walk up the stairs to my room to get ready for the Reaping. I put on a fancy red dress shirt and tan chinos and comb my buzzed blonde hair. I'm probably the best looking guy in the district. The ladies love my green eyes and my muscles.

"Ready, Bangle?" my mom call upstairs.

"Be down in a minute, Mom!" I yell back. I hurry downstairs and we head out to the district center.

.

**Katherine Lynn "Mal" Mallory, D1's POV**

I said goodbye to Layla, Cale, Gabriel, and Rose and hurry off to the eighteen year old section. I wish I had been born a few days earlier than I was, because my nineteenth birthday is two days after the Reaping. If I was born just three days before then, last year would've been my last year at the Reaping.

"Hello, everybody," says our escort, a girl named Gabreilia Starstruct. She's only 18 years old, and one of the more normal Capitol citizens. As usual, the video and the speech plays. I don't bother paying attention.

"Now for the girls!" Gabreilia says. I can hear almost regret in her voice, like she didn't want to choose who will go into the Hunger Games. Funny, in Career districts, the kids are bloodthirsty usually and always want to go to the Games. Gabreilia reaches into the bowl, fishes around for a second, and then pulls out a slip.

"This year's female tribute is... Katherine Mallory!"

What? No. No, someone will volunteer. They always do. I'll be safe, and I'll get on with my life.

But no one volunteers.

"Hello? Katherine, come on up, sweetie."

I slowly walk up to the stage. Layla, who is too young to understand, has no expression. Rose and Gabriel are asleep. But Cale looks horrified. I can't believe this. I'm going to the Hunger Games.

.

**Bangle Silverstone, D1's POV**

Katherine looks slightly panicked. I recognize her as the strawberry blonde I passed when I was going to my house. Gabreilia approaches the boy's glass bowl. I prepare myself for the words that will change my life.

"Ja-"

"I volunteer!" I push my way through the crowd and run up to the stage, smiling and winking at the cameras.

"What's your name?" Gabreilia asks.

"Bangle Silverstone," I say proudly.

"Very good. Shake hands."

As I shake Katherine's hand, I wink flirtatiously at her. She rolls her eyes and discreetly scratches me with her nails. A long white mark is now on my hand and I start towards the Justice Building.

"I'm so proud of you, Bangle!" my mom says. She hugs me. "You'll do great!"

"Nice job, son," Dad says. "Make us proud."

"You'll do good, kid," Uncle Diamond says, clapping me on the back. "Hey, you're allowed to take a token, you know. I got something you could take." He hands me a shiny golden watch. "It was my token way back in my Games. It's for good luck. Wear it with honor."

"I will," I promise as I slip it onto my wrist. My family leaves, and I'm left alone.

.

**Katherine "Mal" Mallory, D1's POV**

"Katherine!" Layla cries as she and Cale run into the Justice Building, Cale carrying Rose and Gabriel. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to the Capitol, Layla," I whisper, tears threatening to tumble. "I'll be back."

"When?"

"Just look at the stars every night, and I will too. It'll be like we're next to each other. I'll be back before you know it."

"You have to come back," Cale says. "You need to."

I take Rose from her hands and bury my face in my baby sister's blanket wrapped around her. She wakes up, but, for once, doesn't start crying. It's like she knows something's wrong, and she doesn't want to make it worse. I kiss her gently on the forehead and do the same with Gabriel. I hug Layla and kiss her on the top of the head. I turn to Cale, and we kiss full on the lips.

"Ew..." Layla says, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Get a room, will you?"

Despite the situation, I crack a small smile.

"Here," Cale says. She hands me a beautiful bracelet. The outside is an intricate rose design. "Take it as a token."

"It's beautiful..." I whisper. Cale smiles.

"Look on the inside."

The inside of the bracelet is plain, but the words _Love is the magic binding us together_ are engraved in perfect cursive handwriting.

I barely have time to thank Cale and give my final goodbyes(again) before they are forced out. Now in darkness and silence, I sit against a wall. I am overcome with emotions, and tears fall like a waterfall. I cry and scream until I'm dragged to the train.

**And there ends the second Reaping! A very big thank-you to Emmeline C. Thornbrooke for Mal, Infamouskal420 for Bangle, and Nori'sLilTheif for Gabreilia. Remember, tell me whether or not to write the Reapings in district order, vote in the poll, and there are still spots open. The character list is on my profile. Goodbye!  
**

**-BaconLogic**


	4. District 7 Reaping

**Hello again, people! Thanks to those of you who have reviewed, sent in characters, and/or voted on the poll. The winning Arenas at the moment(SO THEY MIGHT NOT BE OFFICIAL) are City/Town and Haunted Mansion. Vote for your two favorites if you haven't already! Also, I just remembered that I didn't put stylist spots on my profile(Silly me!) so now you can send in a stylist if you want. Now, for the Reaping of District 7!**

**Celis Adolphus, D7 Female's POV**

**Age: 16**

Reaping day. By far my least favorite day of the year. Our district produces probably some more victors than other outer districts because of our skills with axes we get from cutting down trees, but most of the time we get killed anyway.

I roll over on my bed, trying to force myself to go to sleep. It's only seven; I have to start getting prepared for the Reaping in over an hour and a half. But, naturally, I can't fall asleep. I have too many thoughts. Most of them are about people that I barely or never knew that were killed in the Games. Like last year, neither of our tributes were any older than fourteen. When they were slaughtered by Careers in the Bloodbath, we all expected it, but that didn't make it any less sad and painful to watch on live television.

I give up trying to fall back asleep, so I reluctantly get out of bed. A small grey wolf curled up on the floor by my bed woke up and looked up at me with adorable blue eyes.

"Hey, Pine," I say, kneeling next to him so I could be eye level with him. I found him in the forest as a pup when I was twelve, and I finally convinced my sister, Diana, and her husband, Rhoan, let me keep him. I live with them. Even though it's been four years, Pine's still small for a wolf his age. My friend Beatrice loves Pine, and sometimes she even comes over to my house just to play a game of fetch with him.

I scratch behind Pine's ears, and he gives me a sloppy lick on the face. Sometimes it surprises me how much he is like a dog. Pine starts growling, and I wonder what's wrong. Then, I realize it's my stomach that's growling, not Pine. I crack a smile, and Pine's eyes seem to laugh.

"Well, come on then, Pine," I say, standing up. "Let's go have breakfast."

I slowly walk down the stairs, Pine following. The smiling and laughing from a minute ago has ceased to exist now. Diana is doing what looks like frying an egg on our beat-up old stove while Rhoan is looking out the window deep in thought. I've lived with them since my mom died and my dad disappeared. We don't really know if my dad's dead or not, but we just assume that he is.

"Hi, Celis," Diana says, looking up from the egg. She's the mayor of District 7, but she's only 21 years old. "You're up pretty early."

"Am I?" I ask, though it's not really a question. I saw the clock in my room, so I know it's probably around ten after seven now. "Oh well."

"You're going out with your friends now, aren't you?" Rhoan asks. Apparently, he wasn't thinking, he was just bored and looking at something.

"Yeah, I am. Why?"

"Just stay safe and be back by eight forty, okay?"

"Sure. See you two later."

I walk outside, Pine at my heels. My three best friends, Beatrice Orgavian, Tyson Florysion, and Drake Pricon, are a few hundred feet away. Beatrice is laughing and Drake is grinning, so I can tell that Tyson just told one of his famous jokes. He has a big reputation in the group as the joker.

"Are you nervous about today?" Beatrice asks when I get within earshot of them.

"Not really," Tyson says. "I haven't had to take tesserae with my dad being the butcher and all, so my name's only in there five times."

"Tyson's dad gives my family leftover meat, so I haven't had to take tesserae, either," Beatrice says.

"That's the same with us, too," Drake says, nodding at me. He's right. Tyson's parents are some of the nicest people in District 7, and they supply all four of our families with fresh meat. "But hey, the boy from here last year didn't take tesserae because one of his siblings did, so his name was only in there three times. But he still got Reaped. You never know."

"Do you guys want to go through the forest one last time before the Reaping?" Beatrice asks. "Like Drake said, you never know if you'll be Reaped. It could be the last time for two of us."

As that terrible and scary thought settles in, we all agree quickly. Pine starts sprinting full speed towards the forest, and his little legs can carry him quickly, so we are all out of breath when he stops and we finally catch up to him.

"You _need_ to get him a leash!" Tyson says, panting. "That wolf can run _fast_! It's almost as crazy as Beatrice is!"

Pine growls as if to say, 'I don't want a leash!'

"And anyway, I prefer the term 'mad', if you don't mind," Beatrice says. "Hey, I bet I can throw a rock farther than you!"

Tyson smiles. "Bring it!" he says, picking up a fist-sized scratched up grey rock. He hurls it through the air, and it goes far and stops in a pile of leaves, making a tiny mouse dart away and leaves to go flying.

Beatrice selects a rock similar to Tyson's, but without the scratch marks. She pulls back and releases the stone. It slices through the air and lands no more than a foot farther away than Tyson's. She smirks at him as he stares, open-mouthed, at the stones. He shakes his head.

"Anyone want to challenge the champion?" Beatrice demands, smiling like a maniac. I shake my head, and Drake holds his hands up in surrender. Beatrice's smile grows. "Undefeated!"

Pine lets out a pattern of loud barks, like he was applauding Beatrice. She pats the top of his head.

"What time is it?" Drake asks.

"Probably around eight thirty," Beatrice replies.

I curse. "I've got to go, Diana and Rhoan want be back at home by eight forty."

"See you at the Reaping," Tyson says. I say a quick goodbye to the others and sprint back to my house, Pine right next to me. I burst through the wooden door. Diana looks up from a book.

"You're back," she says. "Eight thirty eight. Not bad timing, Celis."

"Thanks," I say. "I do this almost every morning, I have practice."

"Fair enough. I laid out an outfit on your bed for you to wear."

"That's nice of you. Which outfit is it?"

"It's the grey dress. The one that you really love."

"Oh, thank you."

I hurry up to my room. Just as Diana said, lying on my bed was a short-sleeved grey dress with a white vest and a matching sash. I pull on the outfit and add a simple pair of brown shoes. Pine looks up at me with those cute blue eyes of his.

"You can get something to eat after the Reaping," I say. He whimpers but dutifully follows me downstairs. He howls when Diana, Rhoan and I leave him inside and we hurry so we won't be late for the Reaping.

**Zanthian Drax, D7 Male's POV**

**Age: 15**

I snicker as the peacekeepers look around, confused. I throw another stone, and it clatters away and lands at the feet of one of them. He looks down at it and raises his gun.

"Who's there?" he asks, looking around.

"It's probably just that ginger kid," the other one says. "He's always messing around. Somehow never gets caught, though. I wouldn't worry about it. He'll go away."

In reply, I throw a stone at the second peacekeeper. It hits him in the shin and he curses and howls in pain. I jump out of my hiding spot, make an incredibly rude hand gesture at them, and turn and run. I laugh a bit to myself as the first peacekeeper starts after me, but then trips on one of the rocks I threw. I run through District 7, dodging people as they gave me strange looks. I'm used to being looked at like an alien. My parents disowned me because of my 'disrespect to the Capitol', so I live in an old shack in the poorer area of the district with one of my friends. Because I live where poor people live, I'm usually covered in dirt and mud. Nevertheless, I usually run around the middle to upper class parts of District 7 because there are more peacekeepers to make fun of there. Even though I'm pretty poor, I love life. Mostly the part about running from and making fun of peacekeepers, but life in general, too.

When I'm safely away from the peacekeepers, I stop and catch my breath. It doesn't take long, because I'm used to running long distances. I begin to walk back to where I live. I pass dozens of people with somber and depressed expressions. It's Reaping day. That means that two kids from our district are sentenced to death, except in a few rare cases. Like one girl, Johanna Mason, won the Hunger Games something like 65 years ago, and she was from District 7. She was smart and pretended to be weak, but then started killing the other tributes off when there were about five left.

"Where were you this time?" my friend Carter asks when I walk through the door. After my parents disowned me, he gave me a job. We've been sort of like roommates since. He knows exactly what kind of trouble I get up to, and he's worried that I'll get caught, but he doesn't bother trying to stop me. 'You're too stubborn!' he always says. And he's right, I wouldn't live a normal life ever if I had the chance.

"Middle class," I say. "Hit a peacekeeper in the shin with a rock and made another one face-plant on the concrete."

"Good to hear. What are you wearing to the Reaping?" He's 23, so he doesn't have to be in the Reaping.

"I stole a peacekeeper outfit yesterday."

"Oh, dear God, don't tell me you're wearing it. Don't you think they'll arrest you?"

"Even if they tried, I'm too fast for them. They know it, I know it."

"Alright, alright, just be careful, okay?"

"I know, I will."

I jog into my room and open my closet. It's stuffed with assorted things; an old teddy bear I've had since I was five months old, a slingshot with a bag of tiny rocks, a few torn t-shirts, and things like that. I dig through the massive pile of junk until I finally pull out the white uniform. Honestly, I think it's ugly, but I always wear things that I can rub in peacekeepers' faces. I put on the bulky clothes and the helmet they wear. It's only eight thirty five, so I have some time. I knew exactly what I'd do.

I hurry outside and approach a peacekeeper who was standing, completely bored, at the corner of a nearly-empty street.

"Hey, you," he says to me. Under the helmet, I'm grinning widely. He thinks I'm a peacekeeper. If he knew who it was, he'd be calling me things a lot nastier than 'you'. "Don't you think it's dumb that they make us patrol the streets? Nobody ever really does anything wrong, here. They're too scared. Well, except for that one boy. Damn kid stole my uniform yesterday, I had to get a new one. He ever done anything to you?"

I nod and make my voice sound deeper. "Yeah. Yesterday, he was wearing a peacekeeper uniform- hey, it was probably yours!- and I thought he really was one. He tricked me, and then laughed in my face as he ran away."

"Wow, that kid is bold." The idiot didn't know that I just told him what I was doing. "Well, it's Reaping day. I can't wait to see who's Reaped. The looks on their faces are just priceless."

"You know who's face is also priceless?"

"No, who's?"

"Yours." I take of the helmet, and he barely has time to recognize me before I slam him against the wall. Blood starts leaking through his helmet, so I'm guessing I gave him at least a broken nose. He roars in pain and frustration, and I laughed at him and then ran full-speed down the street. I nearly broke down the old wooden door as I hurried into the house laughing.

"What'd you do this time?" Carter asks, not bothering to look up.

"I made a peacekeeper think I was a peacekeeper, and then I gave him a bloody nose and ran away!" I say, still laughing hysterically. Carter just nods.

"It's getting late. Shouldn't you head out for the Reaping now?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Breakfast can wait. See you later."

I hurry back outside and sprint towards the center of District 7 for the Reaping.

**Celis Adolphus, D7 Female's POV**

Diana and Rhoan chat quietly as we walk to the center. I can't catch anything they're saying, but they talk like this a lot, so I don't particularly care.

"Celis!" comes a high-pitched voice. I turn and am almost knocked over by a little twelve-year-old girl, who hugs me tightly.

"Good morning, Danielle," I say, patting her the top of her head. She looks up at me with big, worried eyes.

"I won't be Reaped, right?" she asks.

"Of course not," I say. "You're only twelve, and you haven't even taken tesserae. Your name's in there once, you'll be fine."

"I hope so," she says. She regains her confidence. "You're right. I won't be Reaped. I won't be Reaped."

She says this repeatedly as we walk to the center. Each time, she sounds more and more confident. She winces when she sees my finger get pricked, but I pat her arm.

"It's fine, Danielle, it's just a little pinch," I assure her. She closes her eyes as she holds out her hand. She bites her lip when her finger is cut, but she doesn't cry. She's growing up quickly.

"I'll see you after it's done, okay?" I ask her. "You'll be fine!"

Danielle nods, smiles at me, and runs off to join the other twelve-year-olds in their section. I walk over to where the sixteen-year-old kids are.

"Good morning, District 7," says our escort, Vocul Nightcall. He runs his hand through his slick blue hair. He always does that before the Reaping. I don't know why. "Happy 138th Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

The usual speech and video is played, and when it's finally over, Vocul looks at the district with pity as he says, "As usual, ladies first."

He reaches down into the bowl, and I cross my fingers.

"Danielle Summers!"

Wait, _what__?_ Not Danielle! She'll die! Oh, my God. Danielle's eyes widen, and she takes a shaky step towards the stage. Vocul looks almost as sad as she does. He's one of the nicer escorts, so he actually has pity for the tributes, especially the younger ones.

"I VOLUNTEER!"

The words ring through dead silence, and Danielle freezes. So do I. I can't believe it. I just volunteered. I just killed myself.

No, I can't think like that. I didn't kill myself, I saved Danielle.

I walk up to Danielle, and I put my hand on her shoulder and stoop down to her eye level.

"Why did you do that?" she whispers.

"Danielle, don't be sad. You have a life to live. Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Have a good life. Get married, have kids. Be happy. Please. For me."

Danielle throws her arms around me, and the entire district- even the peacekeepers, look at us with sadness and pity. As she slowly starts walking back to her section, she turns to me and says two words.

"I promise."

She runs back to her section, and I walk up to the stage. Vocul looks like he's on the verge of tears at the little sad goodbye, but he hides it and turns to me.

"And what is your name?" he asks.

"I'm Celis Adolphus," I say into the microphone.

"Adolphus... are you related to the mayor?"

"She's my sister."

"Oh. Well then, boys next."

**Zanthian Drax, D7 Male's POV**

Celis looks fairly strong. Maybe she could go far in the Games. If I saw her come out of the right section, she's 16, so she'll probably be one of the older tributes, but maybe not.

After Vocul Nightcall announces that he'll move on to the boys, I brace myself. I've held a secret from Carter for a few months now. I'm going to make a complete fool of the Capitol.

"This year's boy tribute is-"

"I volunteer!" I holler. I push past everybody, some of whom look at me curiously, others who give me dirty looks and curse at me. I casually approach the stage. "My name's Zanthian Drax."

"And how, exactly, did you get a peacekeeper outfit?" Vocul asks, looking at my white uniform.

"You can probably guess."

One of the peacekeepers shouts, "Hey, that's the guy who stole my uniform and broke my nose!". That gave Vocul the answer.

"Well then, shake hands, please," Vocul says. I hold my had out to Celis, who shakes it, looking at me curiously. I smile at her, and we are escorted into the Justice Building.

I sit in the chair, and this kid I don't even know walks in and pats me on the back.

"Man, you're brave," he says. "I'm Alex. Remember, the kid you saved from peacekeepers a few weeks back?"

"Uh, yeah, I remember you..." I lie. "Well, thanks for calling me brave, and... goodbye?"

"Cool! You can totally win this, man! Good luck!"

As soon as Alex leaves, someone I don't expect to see bursts through the door.

"Mom?" I ask.

She strangles me in a giant hug. "I'm so sorry. The Capitol would kill us if they found out... I'm sorry. I love you, Zanthian. I love you so much."

I hug her back, breathing in the sweet smell of smoke that she always seems to have. It's been three years since I've even seen her, and I never knew that I would miss her so much.

"It's okay, Mom." I say. "I love you too."

After Mom is forced out, more people I don't know come in. I look for Carter, but he doesn't show up. Maybe he fell asleep and didn't come to the Reaping.

"Time's up," a peacekeeper says. He yanks me out of the seat by my arm and drags me to the train, clearly trying to make it painful. He succeeds, but there's no way I'm letting him know that. The door to the train closes behind me, and I'm left alone.

**Celis Adolphus, D7 Female's POV**

"Celis!" Diana cries. Tears are streaming down her face as she wraps me in a hug. I sit there, still stunned by what I did. "Celis, you have to win!"

"You'll do fine, Celis," Rhoan says, putting his hand on my shoulder. "You're good with an axe. Make allies, but be careful around them. Always be alert and ready. As long as you do that, you will come home a victor."

Rhoan then turns to comfort Diana, who is wailing and crying.

When they're ushered out, Beatrice and Tyson charge in.

"Why did you do that?" Beatrice demands. "People say _I'm_ crazy?"

She continues to say things like that for a minute, but then shrugs and forgives me. She hugs me, and so does Tyson.

"Here," Tyson says. He pulls a silver necklace out of his pocket and hands it to me. "I found it lying in the street a few days ago. It'll remind you of all the good times you spent with Pine and the rest of us."

The necklace is truly beautiful. It's a silver wolf's head on a silver chain, and it's sculpted with incredible detail, right down to the eyes, which appear to be tiny emeralds. I slip it on and hug Tyson again. "Thank you," I say. "It's beautiful."

Finally Drake comes in. He says the usual 'You can win this' and gives me random pieces of advice. We hug each other, and then recount some of the fun times we spent with Pine, Beatrice and Tyson. Drake is escorted out by peacekeepers.

"Drake!" I call when he's almost through the door. The peacekeepers grumpily let him turn around. "There's something I've wanted to tell you for a while now." I gulp and breath out slowly. "I... I love you."

Drake stands there, stunned, for a few minutes. Great, now he'll hate me until I die. But his reaction is completely different.

"I love you too, Celis."

The peacekeepers push him out of the room, and I'm escorted to the train.

**There's the District 7 Reaping! Tell me what you thought of it. Thanks to grimbutnotalways for Zanthian and ThE oWl In ThE eVeRgReEn TrEe for Celis as Vocul. Thanks for reading!**

**-BaconLogic**


	5. District 9 Reapings

**Hello! So incredibly horribly terribly sorry for the extremely late update! I'll try to update more often in the future, but I have a million things to do and only so much time to do to everyone who's reviewed! Sadly, I think I'll put this story on hiatus until I get more characters, as there's only two more district qualifying to have their reaping written as of now. I noticed that District 11 only has 1 character and District 12 is empty, so please try to send in a character for 11 or 12. Remember, you can send more than one tribute, so please don't think 'Oh, I already sent in a tribute/character, so I'll ignore what BaconLogic just told me!' I AM IN NEED OF STYLISTS! Only 1 stylist spot has been filled. Oh, what will the Capitol do without their wacko outfits?  
**

**Eva Holten, D9 Female's POV**

**Age: 13**

"Carter, be quiet. I'm trying to read."

Carter ignores Felix and continues laughing. He was throwing an old, mostly-deflated rubber ball at the wall, and it almost nailed Felix in the head.. Carter's 12, a year younger than me. Felix is 10. Carter is the outgoing, energetic and funny type. Felix is the exact opposite; he's short, thin, has thick glasses, and reads instead of talking with the family, going outside, or basically anything else.

Carter finally calms himself down, but still smirks. Felix turns back to his thick book, and Carter leaves to go outside to play games with his friends. He isn't a bad kid, he just has too much energy. My little 7-year-old sister, Dawn, skips down the stairs. She smiles sweetly at me as she passes and goes into the kitchen. She's the baby of the family, but not for long. My mom's six months pregnant with another girl. So in about three months I'll have six siblings; Carter, Felix, Dawn, my 17-year-old twin brothers Flick and Jason, and then a baby sister. Mom and Dad haven't decided on a name for her yet. Flick and Jason say that they helped them choose Felix's and Dawn's names, because they were 'old enough'. I was only almost six when Dawn was born, so I didn't have a say in it. But this time, I'm 13, so I can help choose a name for my new little sister.

A fist bangs on the old wooden door. I hear the screen door open, then the actual door.

"Hi, Carter," I hear a girl's voice say. "Is Eva awake yet?"

"I dunno."

"Yes you do. Now tell me; is Eva awake yet?"

I roll my eyes and walk to the door. I push Carter aside when he starts to say "I dunno" again. My best friend, Liliana Hume, is standing at the doorway. We've been neighbors since we were kids, and friends ever since we could walk.

"Hey, Eva," she says. I step outside into the cool morning air, and Liliana and I just go for a walk. It's unusually cold today, so I'm wearing an old grey hoodie, pulled up to hide my brown hair. Liliana is wearing a black leather jacket to keep herself warm.

"So, our second Reaping is today," she says quietly. "Think we'll survive?"

"I don't know," I reply honestly. "We probably will. I mean, come on. We're only thirteen. And anyway, the sons and daughters of rebels are usually chosen. Unless our parents are secretly conspiring against the Capitol, we should be safe."

We walk on the dirt road for little while in silence. Only a few birds chirp. A brown rat as thin as a skeleton runs across the road with a single bread crumb clutched in its sharp, curved teeth. Inside a house, we hear a baby crying loudly, like even an infant knew what would happen today.

"Hey, I know what will brighten the mood," Liliana says, looking up at me with her turquoise blue eyes. "A race in the fields."

I smile. "Yeah, that would definitely take our minds off of the Reaping for a little while."

We head for the massive fields and meadows of nothing but wheat. It seemed like a giant maze from up above on a hill. Liliana and I have raced in these fields countless times in the past few years.

"On your mark," Liliana says. We both get into position right at the edge of the wheat, putting our hands in the soft grass and stretching back our left legs.

"Get set," I say. I shoot Liliana a smile, and she grins back.

"Go."

We both surge forwards. I lose sight of my friend in all of the tall stalks of wheat, but I know I'll find her. We always have a finish line; the first to touch the big old house in the middle of the field wins, and then we race back. Then, it's the first out of the wheat.

I feel amazing. The cool wind blowing my dark brown ponytail behind my head keeps me refreshed and prevents me from sweating, so it's like I'll never have to stop. I suddenly see Liliana when she stumbles through wheat a few feet ahead of me. She notices me behind her and smirks at me.

I frown and pick up speed. We're neck in neck now, neither one of us an inch in front of the other. The cool wind seems to abandon us, as I feel a bead of sweat forming on my forehead and my breaths starts to come out in short gasps. Liliana is also gasping and wheezing next to me.

"There it is!" I say. The big old house looms into view. An elderly couple live in it, Mr. and Mrs. Reed. When they were younger, they owned a big part of one of the many fields. They had a big company and everything, and made a lot of money off of it, too. But then they got too old to work in the fields, so they just sold off most of their property. They kept their house and a little of the surrounding area because they had nowhere else to go.

Mrs. Reed sees us from a window and waves at us, smiling broadly. She and her husband are very much used to Liliana and I appearing there every morning while we race. They're perfectly fine with it, too, unlike some rich landowners who get somebody publicly executed for accidentally stumbling into their property. Mr. and Mrs. Reed are probably the nicest people I know. They have two grown daughters, Ally and Sarah, who often come to visit.

Liliana surges ahead of me by about a foot. The house is thirty feet away... twenty feet... ten... five...

I find a sudden burst of strength and rocket myself through the air. My finger touches the front of the old house just seconds before Liliana's does. I lie on the ground where I landed, panting, for a few minutes. Then, I force myself to my feet. Mrs. Reed comes out of the house and walks towards us.

"Hello there, dears!" she says. "That was quite the race! How are you two today?"

"I'm fine, thank you," Liliana says pleasantly. She's always polite and minds her manners around adults. "How are you?"

"I'm just splendid, thank you for asking. Would you like to come inside for tea?"

Mrs. Reed leads us inside and sits us down at a round, ebony wood table and then goes off to make tea. Ally is sitting at the table, and says hello when she sees us.

"How are you two today?" she asks. "Nervous?"

I had just forgotten about the Reaping.

"Yeah, a little," I say. "But we probably won't be Reaped. Neither Liliana nor I are taking tesserae. But, that also means that our older siblings who are could be Reaped."

"I'm sure they won't," Ally assured us. Mrs. Reed comes in with the tea. She says it's called chai tea, from a country called India that existed before Panem came to be. It's really delicious. Liliana and I thank her.

Liliana suddenly curses under her breath so only I can hear. Then, she says louder, "Eva and I had better get going. It's eight forty five, and it takes at least five minutes to get home when we run full-speed."

What? Eight forty five? How didn't we notice the time go by? It was eight twenty five just a moment ago!

"Thanks for the tea!" I say as Liliana and I head for the door.

"You're welcome, and good luck!" Mrs. Reed calls after us.

"Shoot!" Liliana says as we weave our way through the tall stalks of wheat. "We should've kept track of time! Now, we could be late for the Reaping!"

"We'll be fine," I promise, though I'm not so sure myself. At a record time, Liliana and I fly into our houses and up to our rooms.

"Where were you?" Flick asks as I sprint past him, my footsteps thundering through the house. "What took so long?"

"Mrs. Reed invited us for tea, and we got talking with her and Ally," I call back.

Faster than a whirlwind, I reach out for an outfit I had set aside last night. I put on a golden-yellow skirt and a matching polo shirt. I put on the first thing I can find to put on my feet- old blue sneakers. They'd have to do, I guess. I grab a hairbrush and a gold ribbon as I hurry back down the stairs and my family leaves for the Reaping. I've managed to comb my hair by the time we get to the kitchen and I carelessly throw the brush onto the kitchen table. I tie the gold ribbon through my hair as we meet up with Liliana's family and hurry towards the center of District 9.

**Rye Lithicum, D9 Male's POV**

**Age: 18**

It's Reaping day, the worst day of the year. Two kids from District 9 die. They might as well just execute them right then and there, because we hardly ever win. And when we do, the victors go insane and get addicted to Morphling and become alcoholics. But we usually just die.

"What's up, Rye?" my 7-year-old brother, Bucky, asks.

"Nothing," I lie. Bucky hasn't learned about the Hunger Games yet, so I won't tell him now. "Hey, do you want to play a game?"

"Yeah!"

"Well, what do you want to play?"

"Hide and seek! I love hide and seek!"

We play hide and seek almost every day, but it keeps him happy and entertained, so I don't mind. I cover my eyes with my hands and start counting.

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5-"

"Rye, what are you doing?" asks my sister, Lima.

"Playing hide and seek with Bucky. 7, 8, 9..."

When I get to thirty, I yell 'Ready or not, here I come!' and take my hands away from my face. Bucky isn't anywhere to be found, obviously. I look under the kitchen table, knowing full well he wouldn't be there. It's no fun for him if he's found immediately, so I look in places he clearly isn't hiding in so he can watch from his real hiding spot and giggle at my stupidity.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are..." I say. I see a chair move slightly, meaning that Bucky's hiding behind it. I let him hide for a little while longer before 'accidentally' stumbling across his hiding spot.

"Wow, you're good at this!" I say, clapping him on the back. He smiles widely. "Do you want to count now?"

"Yeah!" He waits no time before covering his face. "1, 2, 3..."

I glance around. My eyes stop on the kitchen table, where you can see plain as day whether somebody's under it or not. Perfect. I squeeze myself under there and wait for him to stop counting.

"27, 28, 29, 30! Ready or not, here I come!" Bucky yells. He comes charging through the kitchen and points to me under the table. "I see you, Rye!"

After a few more rounds of hide and seek, Bucky gets bored and dozes off in his room. I go outside and sit in my lawn, doing nothing but just thinking.

This is my last year. My very last year. Next year, I'll be safe. The year after that will be Lima's last year, and then two years after that will be my other brother Wheatley's least year in the Reaping. But then, the year after that will be Bucky's first Reaping. And seven years after Bucky's first year, our family will be safe until one of us has kids and then they go into the Reaping. It's a never-ending cycle. One family is safe, but then they worry about the next generation, and then so on. Some unlucky generations in families are unlucky and are Reaped.

"You'll be fine," says a voice next to me. I hadn't even noticed my best friend, Reggie, sit down next to me. He's the same age as I am, so it'll be his last year, too. "The odds of either of us or anyone in our families being chosen are very slim, you know that."

"It's not so much being worried about if I'm going to be Reaped as it is being worried for whoever is Reaped, you know what I mean? We barely ever produce victors from District 9, so nobody expects much of us. We're always just the lowly kids from that wheat district out in the middle of nowhere, just the Capitol's tools. We're usually only ever there to be that tribute who is killed in the Bloodbath, and everybody knows it. The last victor we had was ten years ago, and she barely made it out alive. But before her, it was what, thirty years? Longer than that?"

"Maybe we could do well this year, Rye. Who knows? Someone could win this year's Hunger Games, and prove that that 'wheat district out in the middle of nowhere' can actually win."

"Not if you're going into the Games," says a snooty voice behind us. I curse under my breath. My sister's jackass boyfriend, Hardesty, comes from a rich family, so naturally he thinks he's all high and mighty and better at everything than the President of Panem. All he ever seems to do is insult and make fun of the whole family, particularly me and Wheatley. He used to completely ignore Reggie, but then Reggie stood up for Bucky when Hardesty made fun of him, so Reggie was added to Hardesty's list of people he hates. Honestly, I think Lima only goes out with him for his money, because she doesn't exactly hide her dislike for him. In my opinion, it's not worth it.

"If you went into the Hunger Games, Reggie, we would be doomed," Hardesty says. He snorts. "You're so clumsy and stupid, you'd fall off of the pedestal and blow up."

"You're so weak and wimpy, you'd die of fright before you made it to the Justice Building."

"You're so-"

Hardesty is interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. Leave it to Lima to stop a fight that could end in a broken neck and a jail sentence. Knowing Hardesty, that's the most likely outcome.

"So, how are you feeling about the Reaping, Hardesty?" she asks him rather loudly.

Hardesty snorts again. "I won't be Reaped. Those Capitol idiots know better than to pick me. Even if I was chosen, someone would volunteer to take my place. I'd win, of course, but everyone here would give their life so that I wouldn't get a scar on my handsome face. Don't you agree?"

"Completely." Lima's a terrible liar, but Hardesty seems to buy it. "Why don't we go somewhere else to get away from Rye and Reggie?"

As Hardesty struts away, Lima gives me a look that says _You owe me_ and follows him.

"Wow, that kid is spoiled," Reggie says. "_I'm so handsome, anyone would die a slow and painful death so I won't get a cut and become ugly!_ What a brat."

"Rye! Lima! Get in here!" Dad yells from inside the house. "Get ready for the Reaping or we'll be late!"

Lima gives Hardesty a fake apologetic glance and hurries towards the house.

"Well, see you later, Reggie," I say. "Good luck."

"You, too. Hey, stop looking so glum. You won't be Reaped."

I nod and walk towards the house. When I open the door, Mom, Dad, Bucky, and Wheatley are eating the normal breakfast of toast. Coming from the wheat district, that's what we eat mostly because bread is made from wheat, obviously.

"If you want to have breakfast, hurry with getting dressed," Mom says when I enter the house. "It's eight forty, and it takes ten minutes at least to get to the center."

When I get to my room, I open my dresser drawer and take out a simple grey shirt and black pants. It's cheap and old, but nevertheless one of the most formal outfits I have. I put on black leather shoes, and I'm ready.

"Sit down, Rye, eat something," Mom demands. I roll my eyes, but plunk down at the table and take a bite of bread. I gobble down the rest of the piece, and we head to the Reaping.

**Eva Holten, D9 Female's POV  
**

Getting my finger pricked is as uncomfortable as it was last year. As I walk to the 13-year-old section with Liliana, I wave my hand and clench and unclench my fist to get rid of the numbness in my hand from the prick. Liliana and I stand with the other 13 year old kids.

Our escort, a young woman named Alecial Moon, walks onto the stage. She can't be any older than 20 years old, she's probably 19. She has golden hair and a lot of makeup of the same color. She struts up to the microphone and taps it to make sure it's on.

"Hello, District 9," she says with next to no enthusiasm whatsoever. "It's Reaping day again. Welcome to the 138th Hunger Games. May the odds be ever in your favor. As every single year for the past 137 years, ladies first."

She saunters over to the glass bowl slowly, as if she's purposely adding to the nervousness and suspense of all of the girls between 12 and 18 in the whole district. Now that I mention it, she most likely is.

"This year's female tribute is... Eva Holten!"

My breath catches in my throat. It can't be! My name's in there twice! TWICE! Liliana tenses up next to me, and she opens her mouth. I grab her arm and dig my nails into her skin, causing her to wince. She looks at me, and I whisper, "No. Don't do it."

She looks skeptical, but nods and allows me to walk to the stage. Well, not stage, more like old wooden platform.

I lock eyes with my older brother, Jason. He mouths something to me that I can barely make out as 'I'll volunteer', but I rapidly shake my head. He pleads with me silently, but I refuse to let him volunteer. When he slumps over and looks at the ground, I can tell that he won't.

"Now, for the male tribute," Alecial says as she makes her way to the glass bowl opposite of the female's.

**Rye Lithicum, D9 Male's POV**

The little girl up there came out of the thirteen year old section. She shouldn't have been reaped, she's so young! As Alecial approaches the male's glass bowl, I honestly can't help but hope that Hardesty is reaped.

"And the young man who will go with Eva to the Games is... Rye Lithicum!"

What? Me? Of all people, me? This is my last year, I came so close to being free, and all of that wasted just because of a stupid slip of paper! Why did it have to be me?Despite my current bad thoughts about the Capitol, I try my best to keep a neutral expression on my face as I walk up to the stage. Alecial tells me to shake hands with Eva, so I do. Alecial blabs on about 'Congratulations to this year's tributes!' or whatever, and then I go into the Justice Building.

As I sit down, my family surges through the doors. The first to reach me is Bucky. He practically hurtles through the air and strangles me in a hug. I hug him back, and I can feel my eyes begin to well up with tears. I'm leaving my family, forever. I'm going to die.

Bucky looks up at me with big, sad eyes, and then timidly takes something from behind his back and holds it forward. It's his favorite ball, a rubber blue ball covered in dirt. I gasp. It's his favorite toy to play with. We always would have a catch from it when I got back from school.

"Your token?" he whispers hopefully. I nod and take it. I give in to my sadness and sob uncontrollably. Mom and Dad hug me in silence, tears falling down their cheeks, too.

"You can do this, Rye," Dad says. "You can win this."

Lima comes over next. She buries her face in my shoulder.

"Lima, do one thing for me," I say quietly. She looks up, her eyes red and puffy.

"What?"

"Break up with Hardesty. He's a jackass. Dump him."

She nods, and then gives me a final hug.

Wheatley stands awkwardly in the back, looking like he needs something to do. Before he can say anything, I squeeze him in a giant hug. He's surprised, but then hugs me back.

"You've got this, Rye," Reggie says. "You've used a sickle before. It's as good a tool as it is a weapon."

My family and Reggie are escorted out, and I'm left alone in the cold darkness of the waiting room.

**Eva Holten, D9 Female's POV**

Flick and Jason take turns hugging me, followed by Carter and Felix. Dawn looks up at me with her big blue eyes.

"You're going away?" she asks. I nod. "Can I give you something to take with you?"

She presses a wooden bracelet in my hand, with a small picture hanging off of one part of it. I recognize the picture as one of our family. I hug Dawn tightly, not wanting to let go.

Mom hugs me. "I'll name the baby after you, Eva," she whispers. This makes me sad, and a few tears drip down my cheeks and to the ground.

Liliana wraps me in a hug, tears sliding down her face. "You're quick and smart, you can do this, Eva. I'm counting on you."

Liliana's parents also came over. Mrs. Hume basically does the same thing as Liliana, encouraging me. Mr. Hume isn't much different. After they are led away, I am ushered to the train.

**There's the end of the District 9 Reaping. Sorry if the ending was a bit abrupt. Again, I'm really sorry for the 12-day break, and I hope it won't happen again. I'm personally getting bored with writing the Reapings, so I might just skip a few Reapings. Thanks to Infamouskal420 for Rye, someoneorother123 for Eva, and VanessaAndEllieTheVamps for Alecial.**

**-BaconLogic**


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